His parents were divorced, and at a young age, he lost his mother to cancer. He grew up hunting, playing guitar, and was an ordinary quiet kid. Lars Ulrich put out an ad in 1981 in a newspaper asking somebody to jam out and listen to rock music with him and he replied. Lars and James hooked up, and started the band, Metallica .

Member of The National Rifle Association.Is a skilled hunter.Vocalist and guitarist for the heavy metal band Metallica .Metallica 's 1991 song "The God That Failed" was based on the death of Hetfield's mother as a child, because as a christian scientist she believed that her faith in God alone would be able to save her from cancer.Metallica 's hit 1991 song "Enter Sandman" was inspired by fears and nightmares Hetfield had as a child.He originally wrote the 1991 hit "Nothing Else Matters" as a personal song, not intended to be played in front of anyone else, but Metallica drummer and band mate Lars Ulrich convinced him to use it for a Metallica song, which he did.His wife is from Argentina and is a former costumer for his band Metallica .Suffered second-degree burns through a stage pyrotechnic accident while touring in Montreal, Canada, 8 August 1992.Children: (with wife Francesca) Cali Tee Hetfield , (b. June 13, 1998 at 8 lbs 4 oz & 20 inches in San Francisco, California), Castor Virgil Hetfield , (b. May 18, 2000 at 9 lbs 6 oz & 22 1/2 inches in San Francisco, California) and Marcella Francesca Hetfield (b. January 17, 2002 at 8 lbs 5 oz & 21 1/4 inches in San Francisco, California).His musical inspirations are Thin Lizzy, Ted Nugent, Venom, Nick Cave , Rocket From The Crypt, 'The Misfits', Black Sabbath , Diamond Head.Is of English, German, and Irish descent.Lives in San Rafael, California.